Weight gain caused by anti-depressants
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So many medications have the side effect of weight gain. I would try to avoid medication at all cost. I take no meds, supplements or vitamins. I am a healthy female in my late 50's. My goals to stay in my size 10. This size is realistic for me.
I don't need insulin shots. That doesn't mean there aren't people who do, nor does it mean they've failed at life somehow because they do.15 -
So many medications have the side effect of weight gain. I would try to avoid medication at all cost. I take no meds, supplements or vitamins. I am a healthy female in my late 50's. My goals to stay in my size 10. This size is realistic for me.
While the decision to forgo medications may be right for you, it will not be right for everyone.
Anyone who is struggling and fighting against depression is amazing and stronger than they realize, regardless of what instruments (including medications) you use to fight it. Keep fighting.Coffee0ooYummy wrote: »Just an FYI, a lot of people here have a history of being on antidepressants (among other meds). It's not really the best to just assume someone has no experience with something when you have no basis for that assumption. Even if you do have some basis, assumptions are just that.
Lol tell that to the one who judged her....
I've been on meds since I was 14.... I'm 46 now. I would never ask someone that question.....
Get real
Given that this is a calorie counting site, it's a perfectly appropriate question to ask. Empowering people to take control over their lives, including diet and eating habits is valuable. I see no judgment in her comment, and her follow up comment makes it very clear that she is speaking from experience.I think for me Zoloft def. lowered my energy level. I’m always tired. I’m hoping with making better choices I’ll be able to lose the weight I gained. If you’ve never been on a psych med it’s super hard to just not eat. You’re always hungry and it like hunger pains. 😩
Have you spoken with your doctor about this? There are so many different medications as options, and not all of them will have this same side effects or to the same degree. If you've been logging your food here, take a look over it and see if you notice any patterns. Are there substitutes for higher volume, lower calorie foods you could make that would enable you to feel more full? Is there a particular time of day that is harder for snacking than others? Could you consume a higher quantity of calories during that particular time (for example save an extra 200 calories for the evening)?4 -
Coffee0ooYummy wrote: »We're in the same boat Snooks.
I had gained 100 lbs from psych meds years ago and lost it kept it off for 9 years but then they put me on Vraylar and i gained 50 lbs in 3 months. I'm off the Vraylar now and not gaining anymore now.
Yo the person who wants to know about your calorie intake during your time on Zoloft.....
Do you know what it's like to be on a medication that makes you hungry?
You try to curb your appetite with a cup of coffee or a glass of water.... or maybe a slice of bread or a couple crackers... still doesn't work
Or
You have already had your meal and 30 mins later you go what the heck??? I already ate what is wrong with me??? You ignore it, go to bed hungry.... takes you forever to go yo sleep because your stomach is growling and churning with hunger pains ....
And you can't get anything from your doctor to reduce your appetite because they are all stimulants..... And they can't give you a stimulant with psych meds....
You wouldn't be hungry in the first place if it wasn't for the stupid med...
She asked if anyone was successful in losing weight after stopping the med....
She didn't ask to be judged on how she gained the weight
Apparently you don't know what it's like to be on such a med.
When you do..... let me know how ya did counting those calories...
Your comment just ticked me off to no end!
RUDE!
Welcome to hypoglycemia.1 -
Thank you for the responses. I really do try to eat healthy but I could Always do better. It’s a struggle. I guess I must have fell off it was just super hard to try and not eat when my stomach was aching cause i was so hungry. Hopefully getting of this crap will help! I do exercise 5 days a week! ☺️ i hope anyone else struggling with depression is able to find happiness! 🙏🏻
Eating healthy doesn't necessarily mean that you are at your calorie limit. It all comes down to the calories.
But (being hypoglycemic) I've also found that what works for me is eating something about every 1 - 2 hours. I have to stay within my calorie limit of course so what I eat needs to be low cal ... just a very small snack. But eating every 1 - 2 hours means that I can keep that painful stomach at bay.2 -
magnusthenerd wrote: »rickiimarieee wrote: »Also with the increase of appetite with it, you don’t need medicine to decrease your appetite. It’s called self control. Plus there’s things you can do to help yourself from snacking. Drink more water, brush your teeth, have a small healthy snack, eat something high in fats or protein (tends to fill you up more), keep yourself busy, or just tell yourself “no.” I know it’s hard but if you want this, gotta have the self control to do so!
Generally, exerting self-control takes a certain amount of mental resources that tend to be low in depression. Far better to find strategies that don't rely on what is an unreliable resource.
Brushing one's teeth to avoid eating is usually associated with anorexic behavior.
Be careful making broad statements like that. I use this strategy every night to avoid nighttime snacking and I know many other people who use this same strategy. I am not and have never had any type of anorexic behavior.rickiimarieee wrote: »magnusthenerd wrote: »rickiimarieee wrote: »Also with the increase of appetite with it, you don’t need medicine to decrease your appetite. It’s called self control. Plus there’s things you can do to help yourself from snacking. Drink more water, brush your teeth, have a small healthy snack, eat something high in fats or protein (tends to fill you up more), keep yourself busy, or just tell yourself “no.” I know it’s hard but if you want this, gotta have the self control to do so!
Generally, exerting self-control takes a certain amount of mental resources that tend to be low in depression. Far better to find strategies that don't rely on what is an unreliable resource.
Brushing one's teeth to avoid eating is usually associated with anorexic behavior.
I don’t see how that’s associated with anorexic behavior I can see if it is to avoid eating ALL together but to avoid snacking, I think it’s a great option so you don’t go over calories.
It is a pretty common suggestion among anorexics. It also can be used a euphemism and code for bulimic behavior behavior because many bulimics will cover their induced vomiting by "accidentally" brush too far into the back of their mouth.
There are plenty of strategies for avoiding mindless snacking, usually by breaking associations or changing activities. Brushing as a way to stop them comes off not as fighting hedonic snacking, but actually trying to fight actual hunger.
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I wish I could give better input, but I have always been an emotional eater, so I do not know if the weight gain I had experienced was from the medicine I have taken in the past, or because I was eating my feelings. BUT. Yes, with being on antidepressants, weight gain has been an issue for me. I'm sorry to hear you are having this issue, and I hope you are able to get it resolved. xo1
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First I'd like to put out my sympathy and empathy for those who follow low cals + exercise (probably all of us) but can't lose weight as well as those dealing with insatiable appetite on antidepressants (been there with Prozac), as for me my current situation is weight gain from inhaled steroids, I feel I can control appetite on them but they can sometimes lower metabolic rate and, according to the experts, cause a huge increase in water retention - overall a big bummer. So I changed meds 2 weeks ago, feeling a bit leaner (still on inhaled steroids but different one), upped exercise, lowered intake 5 days a week and upped cals 2 days a week (to help theoretically increase metabolism). I'm a conservative dieter, goal is usually only 2 pounds a month. And I've always been able to get to where I want to be - except during and after Prozac, it took 2 months before I started to loss the weight and then things returned to normal. Hoping my current steroid weight gain will move soon. Feeling optimistic today.0
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So many medications have the side effect of weight gain. I would try to avoid medication at all cost. I take no meds, supplements or vitamins. I am a healthy female in my late 50's. My goals to stay in my size 10. This size is realistic for me.
Side effects are a very small price to pay when the alternative for me would be that I'm dead.
It's not as though people with depression are taking those meds recreationally. It's one thing to encourage various avenues of treatment, but meds are lifesavers for many and I can't imagine why anyone would feel the need to make vulnerable people feel shamed for trying to survive.
Yes, my brother could be dead or in prison without his meds.
His dosages and combinations do need to be adjusted from time to time.
I encourage anyone unhappy with their medication to discuss this with their doctor. There is almost never only one option for an issue.3
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